


Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas

by Mookie



Series: Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas [1]
Category: Peanuts
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-01-28
Updated: 2014-01-28
Packaged: 2018-01-10 08:45:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,631
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1157572
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mookie/pseuds/Mookie
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>All she wanted for Christmas was a kiss under the mistletoe with the love of her life.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas

It wasn't too much for a girl to ask. It's not like she was asking to be prom queen (at least not until the spring) or to be the most popular girl in school (assertive, independent women like herself didn't need labels; and besides, she was surrounded by enough losers on a day-to-day basis; she certainly didn't need a gaggle of hopefuls crowding her every minute of the day).

No, all she wanted for Christmas was a kiss under the mistletoe with the love of her life.

Who, up until two minutes, thirteen seconds ago, she'd wholeheartedly believed was just playing hard to get, or was afraid to make a move, or was a little intimidated by someone as strong an confident as herself. and perhaps was just a tiny bit dense when it came to women.

She'd certainly not expected to find Schroeder beneath the aforementioned mistletoe with his lips not only busily engaged, but full on pressed against another boy's, leaving no doubt which direction his interest lay.

She wiped the heel of her hand beneath her eye. Obviously some of the glitter in the gymnasium had gotten into her eyes. Stupid glitter. It was the reason she wasn't looking where she was going, and one of her heels slid beneath her, causing her to windmill her arms in a desperate attempt to regain her balance.

At least in that she was successful, no thanks to her stupid shoes. She'd only worn the three inch heels in order to be closer Schroeder's height so she wouldn't have to crane her neck to kiss him.

Stupid musicians. She leaned against the wall and closed her eyes. Stupid blond, _gorgeous_ musicians.

She heard the outside door open, felt the draft of cold air, and turned toward the wall, pretending she was interested in the posts on the bulletin board. The door closed, and whoever had come in had gone right to the gym, not stopping to say hello. She released a breath she didn't know she'd been holding, only to freeze once again when a second blast of cold air hit her bare arms. She wrapped her arms around herself and rubbed at her arms briskly. She really should go back inside, because it was freezing out here in the hall.

"Oh, come _on!"_ she huffed in exasperation as the door opened yet again. "In or out, people!"

The looks of the faces of the juniors she'd just startled made her feel a little better. That's right, Lucy Van Pelt was not going to slink off into the night and eat ice cream, no sir. She was going to march right back in there and dance with the first guy she saw if she had to drag him out on the floor by force.

In just a minute, she would, as soon as she finished reading the chess club's recruitment poster, and maybe this article about cafeteria food.

She gritted her teeth when the doors opened again, grinding them together as the footsteps of the unwelcome newcomer came nearer.

"Gym is that way" she said, pointing.

"I know," said a familiar voice, as a jacket was draped over her shoulders. It was warmer than she'd expected it to be, and smelled of the same kind of cologne her brother used. She would know, she'd been the one to pick it out. She wanted to shrug it off, but naturally the door opened again and she pulled the collar closer around her neck instead.

"What are you doing here?" she asked, too impatient to wait for him to volunteer the information himself.

"I'm kind of nervous," he said, sounding apologetic.

"So why did you come?" she retorted, refusing to look at him.

"I wanted to," he said simply. "But that doesn't mean I'm not scared."

She had nothing to say to that. Obviously she was slipping. Stupid gorgeous _gay_ musicians.

"Thinking of joining?"

"Joining?" She finally turned and looked at him. "What are you talking about?"

He gestured toward the sign-up sheet. "The chess club. You've been staring at it for a while."

She shook her head and turned around, leaning back against the wall. 

"I should."

"Maybe you should," he agreed, giving her a half-smile.

She laughed softly. "Linus would have a fit."

"That never stopped you before."

"Well, I have to let him have something."

He nodded, then hunched his shoulders as the door opened. She slid the jacket off her shoulders and handed it back to him.

"Take it."

He did, without argument, and put it back on, then smoothed his tie. The Christmas lights decorating it lit up as he did so, and Lucy rolled her eyes.

"That tie is hideous."

"I don't know," he said. "I kind of like it."

"You would."

He grinned and tipped his head toward the gymnasium. "Ready to go back in?"

She opened her mouth, closed it, and sighed heavily. "In a minute."

He nodded and leaned against the wall next to her. "I guess you found out, huh?"

"Found out?"

"About, you know."

She turned and stared at him. "You _knew?"_

He shrugged one shoulder. "Well, yeah. I've known for a while."

She arched an eyebrow at him. "Define 'a while.'"

"Sixth, seventh grade, I guess."

"Sixth grade?" she shrieked, drawing the attention of a couple of students on their way outside. She scowled at them and they scurried out the door, letting in more cold air and making her shiver.

She considered asking how he'd known, and how she hadn't, but she wasn't sure she wanted to know. The answer might mean that she hadn't paid quite as much attention to the boy she'd been head over heels in love with as she thought.

She hugged herself. "It should be easier, knowing that it's not that he just doesn't like me, but it's not. It's just..."

She swallowed. She was definitely coming down with a cold from all the times that stupid door had been opened, because her throat hurt. If Schroeder was into another girl, at least then she'd still have a chance. This was somehow worse.

Almost as bad as the strains of _Last Christmas_ coming from the gymnasium. The band was back from their break. She knew they should have hired a DJ, because with a band, they had to feed all five of them. Five stupid musicians who couldn't even pick a decent set of songs for a stupid Christmas Ball.

The words came tumbling out.

"Have you ever wanted something for so long that you couldn't think of what would come after?"

He laughed again, but more quietly this time. "Well, I used to want to fly a kite, just once, without it exploding or getting eaten by a tree. And for a while, I really _really_ wanted a chance to kick that football."

She punched him on the arm. Hard. She was satisfied to see him wince and rub his injured appendage. 

"You broke my hand!" she reminded him.

"I did not," he protested. "Linus told me about the X-ray."

"Traitor," she snorted. "Give me a pen."

He looked confused, but reached into his pocket and handed her one. She scribbled her name on the chess sign-up sheet with a flourish. She had no intention of actually joining, but she would enjoy Linus' efforts to change her mind. She handed the pen back, a Cheshire cat grin on her face.

"He's going to flip."

"Yes, he is," she grinned. "And some best friend you are."

He shrugged again, then perked up as the next song began. "Hey, I think that's Frieda."

Lucy scowled. It was bad enough that girl woke up with curls it took Lucy hours to recreate with a curling iron, but she got the most solos in chorus, too.

"...our troubles will be miles away," she mimicked, curling her lip in disgust.

"Come on," he said, holding out a hand and extending his arm.

"You've got to be kidding."

He looked a little crestfallen. "Please?"

"Oh, all right," she relented, stepping into his arms. "But if you step on even one of my toes, I'm kicking you in the shin."

From the way he was holding her, she'd expected him to count under his breath, but he danced her down the hallway, humming along with the song.

_Faithful friends who are dear to us..._

He slipped on a wet spot in the floor and not only stepped on her foot, but nearly bowled them both over. He caught her just before she hit the floor and she gripped the sleeves of his jacket.

"If you drop me, I will _kill_ you."

He hauled her back to her feet.

"Are you OK?" he asked anxiously.

Her foot was throbbing; she was cold; and she was mesmerized by the ugly blinking lights on this blockhead's tie.

But she wasn't thinking about stupid heartbreaking musicians at the moment.

She stood up straight and smiled.

"No," she replied, aiming a kick right at his shin.

"Ow!" he cried, grabbing his leg and nearly doing a split on the floor. "Lucy!"

"I told you what I'd do if you stepped on any toes," she reminded him.

She bent over, and it was clear he thought she was going to help him up, because he held out the hand that wasn't clutching his wounded shin. She ignored it and kissed him on the cheek instead.

"Merry Christmas, Charlie Brown," she murmured in his ear, before turning and walking toward the gymnasium.

Charlie Brown remained on the floor, watching her go. Her head was held high, her step was brisk, and that navy blue dress looked far too good on her.

_Hang a shining star upon the highest bough..._

He brought his fingers to his cheek and grinned.

**Works inspired by this one:**

  * [Boys, Books and Broken Hearts](https://archiveofourown.org/works/1186714) by [lil_1337](https://archiveofourown.org/users/lil_1337/pseuds/lil_1337)




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